Leading Up to Us
by rosepose
Summary: Emma has lived a rough life so far and just lost her job. Killian Jones is a famous actor who gets by with his adopted son Henry, who somehow, finds a way to bring them together. (Sorry, the summary's not great)
1. Chapter 1

"Swan!" A voice yells for her. "Up an at 'em! You're being released today!" the female guard says as she opened Emma's cell. But Emma is already awake. She didn't sleep at all, in fact. All that she could think about last night was being released... and then having nowhere to go.

The guard takes her by the elbow and leads her to get her personal effects, which really isn't much. Just the clothes she came in, and the car keys that bastard Neal had been so kind to send to her.

She changes out of her uniform in the bathroom and gets a look at herself in the mirror. She looks so different. She's broken. Empty.

Emma leaves the bathroom and gave her uniform back before opening the door to the world that she hadn't been apart of for eleven months.

Emotion fills her when she thinks of the baby- her son. She often wonders if it was right to give him up, but here, standing on the steps of the jail, she doesn't have the faintest clue what she would've done with a baby in her arms.

She makes her way through the parking lot, hoping that a bus stop will be nearby. But she stops dead in her tracks when she sees it. The little yellow Volkswagen bug. She carefully makes her way toward it and opens the door. In the driver's seat is a yellow parcel. She's surprised when she opens it to find a considerable amount of cash. There's also a note. It's written sloppily on a ripped piece of notebook paper and it says: FROM THE WATCHES.

* * *

3 years later

Killian sighs and rubs his eyes in an effort to wipe away the tiredness of a long day on the set. He can't wait to see his son because he's had to work long nights but he can finally rest for a moment now that the filming has wrapped.

"Milah!" he calls as he enters the house. He hasn't spoken to his wife as much either, but he has chosen to ignore her distant behavior. He walks up the stairs and down the hall to their bedroom. He pops his head in and she freezes. There is a suitcase on the bed and it's nearly full, with only a few possessions yet to be packed scattered on the bedspread. "What is this?" he asks, trying to keep his voice from breaking with emotion. He already knows.

"I'm leaving you, Killian." She waits for a response, but he just stares at her blankly, so she continues. "I met someone."

His jaw clenches visibly and he asks, "Who?"

"Graham."

Graham. Graham, his costar.

"When did it start?" he asks, trying to keep from letting all of his anger and sadness out at once.

"Six months ago."

"And what about Henry?" he asks, his voice rising with anger.

"Killian, Henry was supposed to save us, but we just don't work anymore. You're a great father, but I was never supposed to be a mother." She pauses for a moment, then adds, "Besides, you adopted him, not me." Milah is too ashamed to even look at him, forcing her eyes downward .

"Get out!" he screams at her, making her jump. He's crying. She hastily packs her last few items and makes her way for the bedroom door. He stops her, placing both of his hands forcefully on her cheeks. He winces for a moment as he realizes that she is terrified. She must know that he would never harm her? His brow furrows and he hugs her. "Don't you ever come back. Not for anything, not ever. And you've lost all right to ever my son again.

They break the hug, and she nods, crying even more. He stands still and waits for the front door to open and close before screaming and throwing the first thing his hand finds at the opposite wall. It's a lamp.

It takes him a second to realize that Henry has been crying and he rushes to his room and scoops him up and out of his bed and into his arms. "Shh, Henry it's alright," he whispers. "Daddy loves you so much."

* * *

Present Day, 7 years afterward

"What?" is all Emma can say.

"Ms. Swan, I am sorry, but in light of your criminal record, we cannot continue to employ you here."

"What?! I've been here for five years working my ass off and being the best person here! You said yourself there isn't a perp out there I can't find, and you're letting me go because of a technicality?!"

"Ms. Swan, it is actually a legality, so yes we have to let you go, effective immediately. Please turn in your weapon."

Emma angrily digs her gun out of her waistband and throws it down on Regina's desk.

She gets home and slams the door behind her. She takes a good look around at her apartment. It is the best one she's had yet, and now she won't be able to pay the rent next month.

.

.

"Henry, I'm home!" Killian calls as he looks at his watch. 5:36pm. He is surprised that he managed to get home at a reasonable hour.

"Hey dad," Henry says as he walks into the kitchen of their spacious apartment, "you're home early."

"That I am," he says happily. "Where's Annabel?" he asks, inquiring about Henry's nanny.

"Oh, she left a few minutes ago after you texted her. She told me to give you this." Henry handed his father a folded piece of paper. Killian opened it and read the words carefully. " So, what does it say?" Henry wondered.

"Well, it says that she has to quit because she found out that her and her fiancé are going to have a baby."

"Isn't she too young to have a baby?"

Killian chuckles. "She's twenty-five, Henry, she can do what she wants. But now you need a new nanny."

Henry shrugs. "Hey, can we go out to eat? You know, since you're home early."

"I don't know, Henry. We're in New York."

"You're not worried about photographers, are you? What's the worst that can happen, them taking a photo of you taking me out to eat? Come on, dad, it'll be fun."

Killian gives in, and he smiles as he watches Henry race toward the door. "Not so fast!"

.

.

"Dad?" Henry asks on the car ride home.

" Yes?"

"Do you ever wonder who my birth mom is?"

"On occasion, why?" Killian knew Henry would ask about this at some point, but he hoped he had more time.

"Well, what if we could find her?"

"Henry, I'm sorry but it was a closed adoption, your mother didn't want any contact with you."

She's getting it anyway, Henry thought to himself mischievously.

* * *

And the pieces fall into place... REVIEW REVIEW.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma hesitates before dialing the number of her best friend, Ruby.

"Hey, Emma! What's up?"

"I lost my job," Emma blurts.

"What, how?!"

"You know how I went to jail for those watches? Well, they found out about it."

"Geez, Emma I'm so sorry."

"Yeah."

Ruby's face lights up as she comes up with an idea on the other end. "Wait a minute! I could give you some of my shifts at Granny's!"

Emma shakes her head. "I couldn't."

"Oh, come on, Emma! Granny won't mind. And besides, you need work, and I need less work. I'll even take the morning shifts, because even though they pay the same, the morning rush sucks."

Emma sighs into the phone. "What would I do without you?"

Ruby laughs. "You would probably die."

"You're probably right."

"Oh, Emma, do you know what's tomorrow?"

Emma groans. Oh, no. "What?"

"Like you don't know! It's your birthday, silly! Twenty-eighth! I'm gonna come over."

"You don't have to-"

"We both know that I do. Anyway, you shouldn't have to work on your birthday, so all my tips tomorrow are yours!"

"Ruby-"

"Hush, it's my birthday gift to you."

"Ruby!"

"Hanging up now," Ruby says in a singsong voice.

Emma slumps down on her sofa, throwing her phone down next to her.

.

.

Henry gets home from school and is ecstatic about his newfound plan. He gets on his commuter to check the bus schedule one more time before getting his pre-packed backpack out of the closet. He checks his watch. It reads 4:30pm

Now, does he feel bad about stealing his father's debit card information to go onto the internet to find his birth mother? Of course.

Does he feel bad that he's about to find his birth mother? Heck no. And that's what Henry tells himself as he goes onto his computer to delete his history and his inbox so his father will have no idea where he went.

.

.

Emma sighs and collapses down onto her bed. Ruby just called to say that she can't make it because her grandfather is in the hospital- again.

"Time for my yearly tradition," Emma mutters to herself, seeing that it's already 7:00 pm. She walks into the kitchen and opens the fridge. Inside is the white box she got from the grocery store. She opens it and takes out the cupcake and the candle. "This year's selection: red velvet."

She lights the candle and mutters, "Make a wish, Emma," as she blows it out.

I don't want to be alone, Emma thinks to herself.

Just then, to Emma's surprise, there's a knock at the door. She looks at her cupcake quizzically for a moment, and then moves to answer it. She assumes it's Ruby, and opens the door without looking through the peephole. (Not that she would have seen anything anyway.) The person standing before her is definitely not Ruby.

It's a kid.

"Can I... help you?"

Henry smiles up at Emma. "Are you Emma Swan?"

"Yeah," she says, giving him a puzzled look.

"My name's Henry, I'm your son." Without warning, he slips under her arm and into her apartment.

Emma walks after him. "Hey, kid. Kid. Kid! I don't have a son. Where are your parents?"

He stops at her kitchen counter to look at her. "Ten years ago, did you give a baby up for adoption?" Emma stares at him blankly. "That was me."

"I need a minute," she says, retreating to the bathroom. She states at herself in the mirror. What she sees is guilt... and fear.

"Do you have any juice?!" Henry calls from the kitchen. "Never mind, found some!"

Emma reluctantly comes out of the bathroom to face her son. He looks so much like Bae. _No, Neal,_ she corrected.

One time, he took her to a beach in New Jersey. The water was beautiful on that summer day. There were hardly any waves, just ripples. And Neal had said that he hated his given name. He said he wanted a name that sounded like the water looked on that day. She racked her brain, sitting there for minutes in silence. Finally, it came to her. "Bay," she said. "But spell it B-a-e."

He loved it, and his kiss was so passionate, so loving, that she didn't think it could end.

But all things do.

And other things begin.

A surge of anger runs through her and she marches to the phone. "That's it, kid, I'm calling the cops."

The boy grins widely. "Then I'll tell them you kidnapped me."

Emma sighs. "And they'll believe you because I'm your birth mother." But then, she looks into his eyes and smiles. "Okay, kid, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. I can tell when anyone is lying. And you, kid? Are."

"Okay, okay, fine!" he caves. "Please don't call the cops. Just come home with me?"

Emma doesn't want to go home with him at all. But then she sees the plea in his eyes and reluctantly says, "Where's home?"

"New York City."

Emma shakes her head. "Then let's get you home to New York."

.

.

Emma looks over at Henry in the car. He had fallen asleep and now looks so peaceful. She stops the car at a red light and looks over at him again. Alight drizzle begins as Emma snaps a photo of Henry and the light turns green. She knows she may not see him again.

.

.

Emma looks up at the address Henry gave her. It is one of the nicest apartment buildings she has ever seen. She shakes Henry awake. "We're here," she says. He smiles up and her and then turns to open the car door. Excitement and relief show on his face.

.

.

Emma watches as Henry unlocks the door to the apartment. The lock clicks, and walking inside, she is more nervous than she thinks that she has ever been. "Dad!" Henry calls. Emma barely hears what he says, she is too surprised by the overall elegance of the entire apartment.

What happens next, Emma is not expecting. The man who walks into her view is gorgeous. He has jet-black hair and deep ocean eyes. She recognizes him, too. Killian Jones. The Hollywood actor. And his son, Henry Jones.

Killian runs up to Henry and hugs him tightly. "Henry, where did you go? I thought something happened to you!"

"Relax, Dad, I'm fine. I thought I could beat you home."

Killian lets out a bitter chuckle. "You were off by an hour." His eyes suddenly shift to the stranger in the room. She's been standing there the whole time and he has failed to notice her until now. She's beautiful, her golden hair shining in time with her emerald eyes even in the fluorescent lighting. To Killian, she is…breathtaking.

Henry walks over to stand between them both. "Dad, this is my mom, Emma Swan. Emma, this is Killian Jones, my dad."

* * *

 **HUH, SO YOU'VE REACHED THE END OF THE CHAPTER? MAYBE YOU SHOULD LEAVE A REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK SO FAR.**

 _ **PLEASE!**_


	3. Chapter 3

HEY SORRY IT TOOK REALLY LONG TO UPDATE I GUESS THIS IS JUST GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE FICS WHEN NOT EVEN I KNOW WHEN THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE. SCHOOL STARTED FOR ME A FEW WEEKS AGO AND EVERYTHING HAS BEEN CRAZY. JUST REMEMBER WHEN YOU'RE THINKING: "Ugh I can't believe she's not updating! Why isn't she updating the story?! Whhhyyyyy?!" THAT I HAVE DEFINITELY NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU AND AM VERY GUILTY ABOUT KEEPING YOU WAITING.

* * *

Killian stares at Emma another moment, then turns back to his son. "Henry, bed. _Now_."

"But it's only ten-thirty!" he whines.

"We will discuss you punishment in the morning." Henry huffs, then stomps away noisily, leaving his two parents alone in the threshold. "Thank you, for bringing him home. I was so worried."

"You're welcome," Emma says awkwardly. "I should've called the police—"

"It's fine," Killian assures her. "He's home."

Another moment of awkward silence passes before Emma moves to the door. "Wait," he says. "Where are you headed?" He has an Irish accent. Emma doesn't know why it's taken her this long to notice, but having done so only adds to her attraction. _Attraction!? Impossible,_ she thinks.

"Boston," she says.

"Boston? No, you have stay. If you leave now, you'll have to drive through the night. You can stay in the guest room.

Emma has absolutely no idea what possesses her to say, "Okay."

"Right, well it's settled then." He sits down on the couch in the living room and pats the space next to him. Emma looks at him quizzically, but then complies, sitting on the soft leather couch. "Tell me about yourself, Emma."

"Uh, why?"

He smiles a little. "Because right now you're a stranger. To me, and to Henry. And I won't let a stranger in my guest room. So, any hobbies, Swan? An occupation?"

"Well I'm—was a bail-bondsperson."

"Oh, really? Until when?"

"Yesterday." Killian's friendly smile diminishes.

"Why?" He asks, hoping he isn't prying too much.

 _Why does he feel the need to pry?_ Emma wonders.

"Uh…" Emma starts, hating the expectant look on his face. Who was he to ask something so personal of her? She doesn't owe him anything. Killian instantly feels bad for asking but still finds himself wanting an answer. "I lost the only copy of a major case file," Emma lies.

Killian recognizes her mistruth. Who would only make one copy of a major case file? He silently decides to find the real answer on his own. "Well, I hope Henry didn't interrupt anything before dragging you over here."

"Oh, just my lame self-directed birthday celebration."

"Yep, twenty-eight years of wonderful life," Emma says dryly. Killian scrambles to change the subject but is unable to find anything suitable to say. "So what's Henry like?" Emma asks suddenly. She doesn't mean for the longing to sound in her voice, and it surprises her.

Killian's face breaks out into a grin. "He's…wonderful. So kind and curious and… adventurous. So thank you, for giving him to me."

Emma is taken aback. "Don't be. You…raised him."

"If I can ask, why did you give him up?"

At this point, Emma is extremely annoyed. "Oh, enough about me. How's your life, _Killian Jones_? As glamorous as it is on the TV?"

Now Killian was starting to get angry. "If you could believe it, no. Sure, the money part is nice, but with the new movie I'm lucky if I can get home before he goes to bed.

"Dad, can I talk to you for a minute?" Henry says as he walks into the living room.

"Uh, sure." Killian gives Emma another glance before disappearing into the kitchen with his son. "What's up?"

"I wasn't eavesdropping—"

"Henry!"

"Okay, okay! But that's beside the point. Dad, Emma needs a job and I need a nanny.

Killian just stands there for a moment, gaping at his son for suggesting such a ludicrous idea. Finally he says, "Fine, go ask her."

"But, I thought that maybe you…" Henry trails off, looking at the ground.

"No, sorry mate, your idea, your sales pitch."

"Fine," he says, glaring at his father. He walks into the living room to see Emma sitting there, a bit uncomfortably, probably due to the fact that they were most likely talking about her in the kitchen. Killian stands in the doorway behind him. "Hi."

"Hi," she returns, giving Henry a small smile.

He sits down next to her. "Will you be my nanny?"

Emma raises her eyebrows. "What?"

"Please?" Henry asks, knowing that begging probably wouldn't help at all. Emma glares at Killian, but all she gets from him is a small smile and a shrug.

"Look, kid, I'm sorry. I'm not cut out for this." She looks at him apologetically. "I gotta go," she says, standing up.

Killian follows her to the door, hand in his pockets. "I thought you were staying."

He looks disappointed, and Emma doesn't know why it makes her feel this bad. "Yeah, I changed my mind. I'll drive, I'm used to the late hour anyway."

"You really don't have to."

"Yeah, I really do," she says, opening the door.

"Wait, how will I contact you?"

"Ask Henry, he found out where I live." She closes the door behind her, and everything is eerily silent for a moment. Killian sighs.

"That was…my fault, wasn't it?"

Killian raises an eyebrow. "What do you think?"

.

.

When Emma finally gets home, it's one in the morning. She's completely and utterly exhausted. She can barely even remember the car ride. But she just lays down on her bed, not bothering to remove her shoes or get under the covers. As sleep takes her, her last thought is that she shouldn't have left.

.

.

Killian rubs his eyes as the sun rises. He barely got any sleep last night, wondering why Emma bolted out the door the way she did. He wonders if he would have done the same. The answer has not yet come.

Killian swings his legs over the side of the bed and stretches his arms. It's a quarter to seven, and he knows it's way too early to be up on his only day off. But he can't sleep, so he heads off to the kitchen to make breakfast. When he arrives, he is surprised to see Henry, already awake and at the table. "What are you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same question." Henry is sipping from a mug, which Killian assumes is the boy's favorite: hot chocolate with cinnamon. There is another mug beside him, and Henry pushes it toward his father. "One cream, two sugars, just the way you like it."

"How did you—"

Henry smiles. "Well, you got up…four times last night, which means that you couldn't sleep. And when you can't sleep, I can't sleep because you always stomp around the apartment like Bigfoot. So, I decided to make you coffee because this is around the time you usually decide to wake up and you always get tired afterwards.

Killian grins at his son and takes a sip of his coffee. "Mm, this coffee seems to be jogging my memory, because I believe that last night I promised you a _punishment_."

Henry chokes a little on his hot cocoa. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I think that you do."

Henry rips Killian's mug out of his hands and walks over to the sink. "Then no coffee for you." Killian walks up next to him and tips the mug's contents into the sink. "But—"

"I don't care about the coffee, Henry. You really scared me last night. If anything ever happened to you—"

"Dad, it won't."

"Yeah, I know. No TV, two days."

"Ugh, Dad! Wait, one of you movies is on tonight, can I watch that?"

"Fine," Killian says, smiling. "Nothing else."

.

.

There is a knock on the door and Emma gets up to answer it. It's Ruby. "Okay, I got your text!" she says, walking into the apartment. "What's your emergency?"

Emma motions her to the couch. "You may want to sit down for this."

Ruby obeys, looking up at Emma suspiciously. "Oh, my God, are you dying?! You can't die!"

"Ruby! I am not dying!"

"Oh. Then what is it?"

"Well, you that son of mine I told you about?"

"Yeah?"

"He found me."

"What?!"

"His name is Henry, but that's not even it. Guess who his father is."

"Who?!"

Emma smiles a little at how engrossed Ruby is in the conversation. "Killian Jones."

Ruby glares at Emma. "Wow, Emma, I actually thought that you were serious for a second there."

"No, I am, here." Emma takes her phone out of her pocket. "I took a picture of Henry when he was sleeping. I had to drive him home. I'm sure if you Google 'Killian Jones' son'—"

"Got it," Ruby says, already finished typing. "Oh, my God." She puts her phone next to Emma's. "That's him."

"Oh, yeah, did I mention that the kid wants me to be his _nanny_?" Emma says, dropping her phone on the couch next to her

"Emma! You should totally do it!"

"What's the matter with you?!"

"Think about it, Emma. A job as a nanny, especially _Henry's_ nanny, it'll pay a lot more than half my shifts at the diner." She looks at the ground. "Which I kind of need anyway… Look, Emma you can have the shifts, but you _can't_ move in with me again when you can't cover the rent. A nanny's a live-in job, isn't it?"

Emma shakes her head. "I-I just can't. This is my _son_. What makes you think that I can take care of him now? It's just like before. I will feel too guilty."

"Emma, you gave him a great home."

"Yeah, a great home without a mother. And the only way he was going to get anything close, was if he tracked me down and convinced me to be his nanny."

"Emma, you need this job, like it or not. A better one will not come along. If you didn't know Henry, would you take it?"

Emma squirms in her seat and thinks for a few moments. Quietly she says, "Maybe I would."

* * *

 **HUH, SO YOU'VE REACHED THE END OF THE CHAPTER?**

 **MAYBE YOU SHOULD LEAVE A REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK SO FAR.**

 _ **PLEASE!**_


	4. (Not a Chapter)

Hi.

Long time no see, I guess.

I suppose I owe you an explanation, then.

As much as it pains me to have to tell you this...I am no longer a Oncer.

I think the show has gone downhill and have since stopped watching.

I've moved on, but I will forever cherish Once Upon a Time as my first fandom.

And because of this, all of my Once Upon a Time fanfictions will be discontinued.

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

Thanks for reading, and I'm sorry.

-rosepose


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